INTRODUCTION 



THE present volume grew out of the belief on the 

 part of members of Mr. Boardman's family, as well 

 as that of his many friends, that a life so successful in 

 business ; so largely devoted to a study of one of the 

 leading branches of natural history ; so rich in personal 

 experiences and so true and noble in character, should 

 not end and leave no record of what had been accom- 

 plished within the period of that life. 



When the work was contemplated its plan was simple. 

 It was designed to republish Mr. Boardman's lists on the 

 fauna of the St. Croix, for which there had been much 

 call from scientists, especially for his list of birds and to 

 accompany its reissue in a new form based upon the lat- 

 est authoritative nomenclature, with a memorial sketch 

 of Mr. Boardman which would giv^e some account of his 

 life and of his service to science. 



But when the material in hand had been examined it 

 was found to be so extensive in volume, so rich and val- 

 uable in character and so important to science that the 

 original plan was changed. The scope of the work was 

 enlarged ; a more careful memoir was decided upon ; the 

 use of Mr. Boardman's large correspondence, including 

 the many letters from leading ornithologists, was to be 

 drawn upon as showing the importance and progress of 



